# NTSB CEN14CA238: American Legend AL-3, N907DC, Osage, AR, May 10, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: May 10, 2014, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Osage, AR - Coordinates: 36.289459, -93.289321 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2895&lon=-93.2893&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 30, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 89201 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14CA238 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89201/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89201 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14CA238 ## Probable cause The pilot's repeated attempts to take off from an unimproved field with tall grass. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [American Legend AL3, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=060002K), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Airport facilities/design: runway/landing area condition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017035): Environmental issues › Operating environment · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [American Legend AL3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017035/cases.md?model=060002K), [All aircraft, 61 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03017035/cases.md) - [Terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation; cases with it: [American Legend AL3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md?model=060002K), [All aircraft, 267 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) (defining event); cases with it: [American Legend AL3, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=060002K), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [American Legend AL3, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=060002K), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot made several attempts to take off from an unimproved field with 3-foot tall grass. In the last attempt, the airplane lifted off but could not climb out of the tall grass. The pilot elected to reject the takeoff. The airplane touched down and nosed over. ## Factual narrative On May 10, 2014, about 1700 central daylight time, an American Legend AL-3, N907DC, nosed over during a rejected takeoff from an unimproved field near Osage, Arkansas. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight originated from North Little Rock (KORK), Arkansas, and was destined for Berryville (1M4), Arkansas.The pilot told a Federal Aviation Administration inspector that after landing on the unimproved field, he attempted a takeoff to the south. The takeoff area was about 1,100 feet long and 100 feet wide. The field was dry with 3-foot tall grass. Being in a valley, the winds were variable. The airplane lifted off but could not climb out of the tall grass. The pilot elected to reject the takeoff. The airplane touched down and nosed over. The vertical stabilizer was crushed, the fuselage was buckled, and both wings were wrinkled. A witness told a Carroll County sheriff's deputy he saw the airplane land in the field and a female passenger got out. A short time later she got back in the airplane and the pilot attempted to take off several times, but was unable due to the tall grass. The airplane finally took off but immediately banked left and "attempted to land." The airplane bounced a few times and nosed over. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N907DC](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N907DC), registered now, S/N AL-1110, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMERICAN LEGEND AL-3 - Registry model: [American Legend AL3](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-legend-al3) (registry code 060002K) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-200-series) (registry code 17402, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: AL-1110 - Year built: 2007 - Airframe hours: 267 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-200-A48 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Charles E. Butcher - Registered owner: Charles E. Butcher - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2013, 104 hours before - Departed: KORK, No. Little Rock, AR - Destination: 1M4, Berryville, AR - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 6,200 total, 50 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 11 knots, gusting 18 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.84 inHg - Observed at: KROG, 22 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20140510005769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140510005769A), May 10, 2014: American Legend Aircraft Co AL3, Osage, AR, Substantial damage. On 05/10/2014 a light sport American legend aircraft, model AL3 registration number N907DC was taking off from a grass strip located at Osage Arkansas carrol… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 16, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89201. 394 KB in all. - Record of Conversation (item 1, .PDF, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413355&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation-Master.PDF - Carroll County Sheriff's Report (item 2, .PDF, 344 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40413354&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Carroll%20County%20Sheriff%27s%20Report-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.